Adobe Acrobat Information Page

To view PDF (Portable Document Format) documents, you need a free web helper called the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The PDF format is rapidly becoming a standard on the web. It allows you to view, print, cut and paste heavily formatted documents regardless of what type of computer you have. PDF documents can also contain hypertext links. Hypertext links are the words you see on the web that are highlighted and link to another set of web pages. The requirement for you is to obtain a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, load it on your computer, and program your web browser (Netscape, Mosaic, Explorer, etc.) to open Acrobat Reader automatically when you download PDF documents. Listed below are the few needed steps.

Obtaining Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Adobe Corporation has free versions of the Reader available from its web site:

http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html

This is a no obligation, free product, just register and download.

Be sure you know where the program is downloading to.
On a Macintosh, you can download the program to your desktop.
In Windows, you can download the program to a temporary file.
Often, people download things from the web without watching the directory it is sent to.
The program is saved somewhere on their computer, and they just can't find it.
To solve this problem, most web browsers allow you to choose where you want files to go.
In Netscape, for example, in the "Options" menu and under "Preferences,"
you can select a temporary directory in the "Applications and Directories" window.
Be default, this directory is at a distant location within the browser directory.

Step 2 -- Installing Adobe Acrobat Reader:

A "Readme" file is included with the download. It includes most information, but here are the basic first steps.

A) Create a directory for the reader to reside in.

B) Copy the self-expanding file into the directory

C) Start the file and it will do the rest of the major installation.

Step 3 -- Final Setup Information:

Acrobat Reader is a helper application. You may already have many helper applications set up to work within your web browser. JPEGview, for example, allows you to see pictures in the web. SoundMachine or RealAudio allows you to hear sound files.

A) You can set your web browser preferences to open or activate Acrobat Reader automatically when you download a PDF document. Web browsers vary, but the general location of this feature is under "Options," then "Preferences," then "Helper Applications."

B) Once in "Helper Applications" you can set a new application. If your computer is of the newer variety, it may have done this for you. You will see a little Acrobat logo in your list of helpers. If your computer is older, you have to enter in the necessary information.

C) Again, web browsers vary. But generally you can select "new." The mime type should be "application" and the subtype "pdf". The application is Acrobat Reader; you may have a pop-up menu asking you to locate the directory of where you have hidden Acrobat Reader. The extension is also "pdf", and the action is "launch". Save these preference changes. Now, when you download a PDF file, Adobe Acrobat Reader will open up along side of your web browser.

Additional Adobe Acrobat Reader Information